Plans which could see overnight flights serve Norwich International Airport should not be allowed to take-off, councillors have argued.

As the airport prepares to publish a final draft of its masterplan for the coming decades, Broadland District Council has been called upon to oppose this “by all means necessary”.

In a draft of the proposals published in 2017, it was argued that the airport was limited by current restrictions, preventing regular flights between 11pm and 6am.

However, Tony Adams, district councillor for Hellesdon south east, has called on the council to take a strong stance against this when responding to the airport’s final plans.

He said: “Over the decades, it has always been a case of no ifs, no buts and no maybes when it comes to overnight flying at the airport.

“The 11pm cut off point has been in place since 1986 and was brought in as a result of a public inquiry.”

Broadland’s response to the draft proposals called for research into how noise complaints caused by overnight flights could be mitigated, In his motion, however, Mr Adams has called for a more robust approach.

He said: “I’m just trying to bring our position on this back to where it has always been.

“Sound travels much further at night - things like traffic mask the noise so you don’t notice it as much, however, if flights go over your house around midnight I do not think you would appreciate it.”

His motion, which will be debated on Thursday and has been seconded by fellow councillor Richard Grady, calls for Broadland to “resist by all means possible any approach which seeks to relax current flight restriction”.

A spokesman for Norwich Airport said: “The draft masterplan sets out a vision for the airport’s continued growth over the next 30 years and recognises that it has to be done in a sustainable way.

“It identifies an opportunity for further expansion of the chartered holiday market which might result in some flights operating through to 1.30am up to four days a week in the summer months.

“Even with longer operating hours only a small number of night time services is forecast, and any changes would require continued close dialogue with the local planning authorities and our neighbours in the community.”